You know what’s been one of my favorite elements of the series of presidential/vice presidential debates so far? The absence of audience involvement.

Barack Obama/Mitt Romney One was notable for the lack of cheers, jeers, hoots and hollers from the audience; same for Joe Biden/Paul Ryan in their VP debate this past week. I’m hoping Obama/Romney Two – and Three, next week – will feature this much decorum.

Too many times in past debates, the candidates have played to the audience in the hall, not to the broader audience out there, in TV Land. Yes, some of these encounters have produced memorable sound bites and applause lines. We laugh about them now and recall how much punch they carried when the politician uttered them.

But they do nothing to enhance the quality of the discussion.

President Obama and Mitt Romney will have some important things to say, as will Vice President Joe Biden and Paul Ryan. We’ll get two more chances to hear the presidential candidates make their case in front of tens of millions of us. I’ve noted already that my mind is made up on this race, but all of us can learn something new about the men who seek to lead this nation.

I intend to focus my undivided attention on what they are saying. Crowd noise is just that – noise.